Ashram Bulletin

The hot season in Tiruvannamalai is from the middle of March to the middle of June, so this is not usually a time for visitors. In the middle of June the monsoon begins, and although this does not always mean rain - or not before August - it means cool winds and cloudy skies, so that from then on the weather is agreeable.

When Morarji Desai, former Chief Minister of Bombay State, former Finance Minister of the Central Government, paid us a visit we were surprised to hear that he came here first as early as 1935 when Bhagavan was not yet widely known and few of the present Ashram buildings had yet been erected. He later sent us a letter confirming this:

"I stayed in the Ashram for a day and was in the presence of Sri Ramana Maharshi for an hour or more, when I felt complete peace within and had no questions to ask. It was an unforgettable experience of life. When I took leave of him he asked me to leave only after taking lunch, which I had the privilege of having with him. Seeing him convinced me that he was a realized soul and affected me considerably."

Another friendly visitor who had first come in 1935 (though too young then to understand much that was said) was the Yuvaraja of Travancore. We were delighted to find that he was already a subscriber to The Mountain Path. He was accompanied by the Yuvarani.

Sri Sayaji Laxman Silam, Lieutenant Governor of Pondicherry, also came on a visit here with his family.

Sri Vidya Havan

This annual function came off on 20th March, 1964.

The devotees of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi know that at the time of the Kumbhabhishekam of Sri Mathrubutheswara shrine, Bhagavan consecrated by His touch the Meru Chakra that was made specially for the shrine. A meru in granite is a rare production and rarely comes off all right, and in this case it is undoubtedly due to the Grace of Sri Bhagavan working through the architect Sri Vaidyanatha Stapathi's skilful fingers. When the Meru was fitted in its niche, a few of those present saw Bhagavan sitting in the inner shrine and guiding Sri Vaidyanatha Stapathi in his work. At the conclusion of it all Bhagavan placed his hands on the Meru as well as the Mathrubhutheswara Lingam.

After the Brahmanirvana of Bhagavan, when the devotees were feeling that some tangible activity was needed to restore the spiritual atmosphere of the Ashram, it came intuitively to Sadhu Arunachala (Major Chadwick)* that neglect of the Meru at the shrine of the Mother was a great indiscretion, if not a crime against the divinity. So he took it upon himself to organise the worship of the meru and the then management readily agreed with him. And so the Puja started in earnest.
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* For a note on whom see our Ashram Bulletin of January 1964.

The regular saparya paddathi was followed for the Sri Chakra Puja, with its argala stotras, Chathushshashti upacharas and sahasranama (1,000 names) and thrisathi (300 names). Our thrisathi is unique in that every 20 names of the Mother is preceded by one of the 15 mantras of the Sri Suktha. The thrisathi by itself is sarvartha purthi as said by Acharya Sankara in his commentary on the same. The addition of the Sri Suktha mantras adds greater efficacy to the thrisathi archana. In the usual course comes the ashtothra also (108 names of the Mother). Then comes the solemn offering of sthothras.

These pujas, lasting about 3.5 hours, go on right through the year on Fridays, full Moon days and the first day of the Tamil month, i.e. the day the sun moves into a new sign of the Zodiac. Anybody sending ten rupees can participate in one of these pujas; they should also send their names, nakshatras and gotras.

When one year of the puja was completed Sadhu Arunachala felt that the anniversary of the commencement of the puja should be celebrated and consulted others as to how best this could be done. It was unanimously agreed that the best would be a havan which is a costly affair. The havan is a whole day ceremony lasting from early morning till late in the evening with several oblations. When the offerings in the havan have cooled down, after several days, the sacred ashes are taken out and distributed as prasad to devotees. Contributions to the conduct of this annual function are always welcome.

On April 17th we assembled at the grave of Alan Chadwick, who was for many years prominent here, to celebrate the second anniversary of his passing away. Devaraja Mudaliar presided and Venkatakrishnayya made a speech in his honour, both of them devotees of long standing who had known Major Chadwick well.

During the celebration an unobtrusive little man dressed only in a white dhoti and with a green shawl over his shoulders slipped in and sat on the floor among the others. We found out later that he was Basheer Baba of Chennur, a follower of the great Sai Baba, about whom we have an article in this issue. Like his great master, he observes neither Hindu nor Muslim orthodoxy. Like him also, he is credited with miraculous powers. He displayed none here, though on his arrival at the gate of the Ashram, when told that his driver had a letter for the Ashram President, he rightly remarked, with no previous information to that effect, that the President was away.* He was strongly impressed by the Presence of Bhagavan and the atmosphere of peace at the Ashram.
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* The President went on a pilgrimage to North India and so was away from the Ashram for two months and returned in time only for Aradhana (9-5-64).

Mr. Bela Haran of Melbourne, Australia, brought us news of the Arunachala Group which meets every second week under the direction of Mouni Sadhu at 423 Middleborough Road, Box Hill, Victoria, just outside Melbourne.

Aradhana

Aradhana, the 14th anniversary of Bhagavan's leaving the body, fell as late as May 9th this year. There was such an influx of visitors that even the office of The Mountain Path had to be taken over as a temporary camping ground.

The function started at five in the morning with the singing of 'Arunachala Stuti' and 'Ramana Sad-Guru'. The actual puja started at 8 a.m. with the chanting of the Taittiriya and Mahanarayana Upanishads and Sri Rudra Chamaka, Purushasuktha, etc. Ekadasa Rudra Mahanaysa Abishekam was performed. During the arthi after the Sahasranamam (that is during the burning of camphor that marks the end of the puja, after the chanting of the thousand names of Bhagavan), the grace of Bhagavan's Presence was very powerfully felt.

Tiruchuzhi T. V. Natarajan and his party of instrumentalists played Nadaswaram on and off throughout the day, adding greatly to the attraction.

The many guests were entertained to lunch by the Ashram, apart from which there was large-scale feeding of the poor.

In the afternoon Om Sadhu gave a recital of Ramana bhajan.

In the evening Brahma Sri Bangalore Krishna Bhagavathar gave a harikatha on Purandaradasar.

By nightfall most of the guests had departed though a few were making a longer stay.

Ramana Mantap

We referred in our Ashram Bulletin of January 1964 to the edifice that is under construction for the shrine of the Maharshi and the meditation hall in front of it. Progress has been rather slow owing both to the problem of funds and to the extremely skilled nature of the work. The superstructure for the shrine has now been completed out of grey stone from nearabouts of Arunachala, which goes black like marble when polished suitably.

This is only the first stage of what is being undertaken, but the two photographs will show that something beautiful has already been achieved.

A Residential Ashram

One significant change that has come over Sri Ramanasramam is that it is beginning to be more of a residential ashram than it was formerly. During the lifetime of Sri Bhagavan, as will be explained in our editorial of January 1965, devotees were not encouraged to make a long stay here. Recently the tendency to lengthier visits and to settling down here has increased and it has begun to be felt in the Ashram that the growth of a residential colony of devotees and aspirants has now become appropriate. Indeed, the Ashram has constructed far more living accommodation since the Maharshi left the body than before and still has an extensive building programme on hand. The immense magnetism of Bhagavan's Presence draws people here, young and old, men and women, Indian and foreign, and it is not always easy to accommodate all who come.

A few recent residents tell here how they came.

RONALD ROSE is an asset not only to the Ashram but to The Mountain Path, as those who read his book reviews in this issue will appreciate. Before his vessel came to anchor here it had looked in at various ports of call, including a Theravada monastery in Ceylon.

"I think I can claim that I was one of the most reluctant and unhopeful pilgrims ever to make the journey to Ramanasramam. I had already been wandering around in the East for several years and the prospect of visiting one more fashionable ashram with many Western devotees did not fill me with enthusiasm. I had long ago read Brunton's book and forgotten all about it. And in any case, Maharshi was no longer alive.

"The thing that immediately impressed me about Bhagavan's ashram was the remarkable spirit of freedom that pervades it. I did not then realise that this was a heritage from Bhagavan himself. The President and devotees were kind and helpful but no one started preaching at me or trying to make me a devotee. Sensing my reclusive nature, they tactfully left me much to myself.

"To me this spirit of freedom is still the great feature of our ashram. Bhagavan has drawn his devotees from every nationality, creed, caste and temperament. Yet we are all living happily together, each getting on with his own work and no one interfering with another or laying down the law. We are not making self-conscious efforts to practise brotherly love or charity. It just happens, and to my mind only Bhagavan's living presence among us can account for it.

"Being an insatiable reader, I went first to the bookshop and, on the advice of the attendant, bought Self-Realization and Who am I?. I had read many better written and more exciting lives of saints, but inexplicably Self -Realization spoke straight to my heart. After I had spent a few days around the samadhi (shrine) Bhagavan became more real to me than any teacher I had met in the flesh. I felt, and I still feel, no regret that I never actually saw him sitting on the couch in the little hall. How can we regret when he is so gracious to those of us to whom, for one reason or another, he did not choose to manifest his physical presence?

"Like many pragmatic Westerners I was at once taken by the simplicity and directness of Bhagavan's message, which seemed to epitomise all I had learned from other teachings while discarding all that was unduly complicated and superfluous. As a matter of fact, Who am I? was at first a little too simple and direct for me. It was only after reading the Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi and other records of Bhagavan's message that I discovered this little pamphlet actually contains everything the aspirant needs."

In contrast to him, HUGO MAIER heard of Bhagavan and his teaching while still in Germany and, knowing immediately that self-enquiry was his method and Bhagavan his Guru, came direct from Germany to our Ashram some years ago and has now settled down here.

"I came to know of Bhagavan through my teacher Heinrich Juergens, with whom I was practising healing. He conducted yoga classes for many years and even concluded them with prayers to Christ, Ramakrishna and Bhagavan. After spending some months in London, I came to the Ashram in 1959 and the moment I entered it I spontaneously felt I was not coming to a new place but to my own home. It is my spiritual home. I have never felt so much at home anywhere, even in Germany. First I was put up in the common dormitory and then in a room outside the Ashram. Then the Ashram President was kind enough to invite me to stay in the Ashram, giving me a well furnished room where I am now living comfortably. Living here at the foot of Arunachala is both sadhana and siddhi, just as the Mountain and the path leading to its summit are inseparable and the same. Here the experience of peace which I already had is deepened and prolonged. What more do I want?"

ROBIN NORMAN of Perth, Australia, first came here alone in 1961 and next year returned with her mother. Last year she again came alone, and now she regards herself as a resident, not a visitor. She has been accommodated in a small Ashram guest-house.

"I had been interested in spiritual matters even before I heard about Bhagavan. I read a few books on Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism. But at the age of 20 I had the intense and genuine urge to have a Guru and something told me that I would find him in England! Immediately I sailed for England, and there, in a bookshop, the picture of Bhagavan on the dust-jacket of In Days of Great Peace attracted me so deeply that I stood motionless for some time before it. I knew spontaneously that he was my Guru. When I learned about him and his Ashram the urge to come here grew in me and within a year I was here. I left after a short visit but came again next year with my mother. I returned to Australia with her and took up a job, but the pull of Arunachala and Bhagavan were so strong that I gave up my job and came back to the Ashram, which is now my home. I experience the dynamic presence of Bhagavan, my Guru, and he guides me every moment."

In connection with his poem 'A Beacon Still' in our January issue and his short note on 'Naga Baba' in our April issue, I mentioned how S. P. MUKHERJEE, a retired engineer from Calcutta, built a house and settled down here with his wife. The above is their house, which they have named 'Upasana'.

"People often ask me why I left my home and settled down here at the foot of Arunachala. What answer can I give?

"If a moth on a dark night suddenly comes across a dazzling brilliant light, he will jubilantly get caught in its rays. Will he care if any one reminds him that the light is neither in his home town nor even in his province and so he should leave it alone? The discovery of the light is the crowning achievement of his life and also perhaps its sole purpose!

"My story is short. Ever since my first visit to Ramanasramam in 1951 it was my single-pointed prayer to Bhagavan to keep me here permanently and in order to strengthen my prayer I brought my wife here the following year and she not only prayed fervently but endorsed all my plans for achieving my heart's desire.

Once it was the dream in my life to build a small cottage at the foot of the radiant Hill, beside Sri Ramanasramam; today it is a reality. All our prayers have been answered and everything we asked for granted.

"Contented and happy as we are, we sing: 'O Bhagavan! Keep us here for ever!'
"Here we stay and here we wish to die like the moth who buzzes round the light till the dawn breaks!
"One thing only do we know - Ramanasramam Is a beacon still."

Ramana Bhakta Sabha

The Ramana Bhakta Sabha of Madras celebrated its annual Guru Puja on April 26th, There was chanting of the Vedas followed by a musical rendering of 'Sri Ramana Gitam' conducted by its composer, Om Sadhu of Tiruvannamalai. Om Sadhu has by now quite a reputation both for composing tunes and leading choral music. Sri M. P. Periasami Thocran expressed grateful appreciation on behalf of the audience.

The Sabha meets at 5 p.m. every Sunday at 94, Mowbray's Road, Alwarpet, Madras.

Prem Sangh

The Prem Sangh was founded by Dr. R. Padmanabhan, M.B.B.S., Palghat, a very ardent devotee of Sri Bhagavan on 28-7-47. It is at present composed of twelve families following various avocations. One is a Major in the army, another a teacher while others are businessmen, engineers, etc. Some live in Palghat, others in Calcutta, Bombay, Hyderabad, Madras, Trivandrum, Coimbatore, etc.

The institution has the blessings of Sri Bhagavan, who was informed about its foundation in 1949 and with benign grace nodded His approval

Aims and Objects

The members are to strictly follow Sri Bhagavan's method of Sadhana and spread His message by practice even more than by precept. The families should demonstrate that it is possible to follow the spiritual path while leading a life in the world. This is strictly according to Sri Bhagavan's advice. Members are to perform regular puja to Sri Bhagavan daily, read His works and books about Him and His teachings and meet in any religious centre once a year. The Prem Sangh has conducted annual camps at Palani, Chidambaram, Tirupati, Tiruchendur, Cape Comorin, Palghat, Dakshineswar (Calcutta), etc. The members had also the good fortune to visit the blessed chamber in Madurai where our Master had His illumination and also His sacred birth place in Tiruchuzhi.

During the camp, which normally lasts five to seven days, the members go through a very strict discipline of spiritual practice. There are various programmes such as Probhat Pheri (morning bhajan), Suryanamaskar, Asanas, Puja to Sri Bhagavan, With chanting from the Upanishads, Gita Parayanam, discourses, discussions, bhajan, etc. One day is devoted to silent contemplation. No opportunity is missed to meet and mix with the wise and great and benefit by their advice.

Rules of conduct for members

1. All members should consider themselves the children of Sri Bhagavan and hence there should be mutual regard and respect.

2. Tobacco in any form and alcohol are forbidden.

3. Members should take only vegetarian food.

4. They should perform meditation early in the morning, then puja to Sri Bhagavan and again meditation before going to bed at night.

5. In order to develop a good understanding among members, they should correspond regularly.

6. Since health is very vital for sadhana, members should take proper care of the body.

7. No time should be wasted on unnecessary discussions on politics or other non-spiritual matters.

The motto of the Prem Sangh is indicated by the letters PREM as follows:-

P: stands for Purity of Thought
R: for Righteousness of Action
E: means that the Members should be ever 'Energetic'
M: that their goal is Mukthi

The members experience the benign Grace of the Lord and have conducted their last two camps in the Ashram. They are thrilled to feel the Presence of Sri Bhagavan and His guiding hand in their day to day life.

This year they camped at our Ashram from 18th to 22nd May. During their stay they delighted the Ashramites with their bhajans, etc. They also arranged for a visit from Sri Anna Subramania Iyer, head of the Ramakrishna Mission Home of Madras. He delivered a lecture in the Ashram hall in English and Tamil on 'Swami Vivekananda on the Upanishads'.

Sri Ramanasramam - Life Members - (In continuation of the list already published in our April issue.)

DONOR:

Dr. Subramaniam, Thirumullaivayil.

INDIA:

Somisetty Satyanarayana, Kandukur.
Dr. K. Parthasarathi Aiyengar, Chamarajanagar.
Devan Hukam Chand, Ambala Cantt.
Shlavax R. Vakil, Bombay.
Major Hanut Singh, Babina Cantt.
Satyanarayan Tandon, Kanpur.
N. D. Patel, Tirupathi.
K. C. Kapur, Kanpur.
Om Nath Rohatgi, Kanpur.
A Devotee, Sri Ramana Nagar.
Lakshminarasimha Ganesh Bhatt, Teppadmath.
Pallempati Ve nkateswarlu, Hyderabad.
M. Subramanyam, Hyderabad.
S. Srinivasan, Trichy.
B. Venkatadri, Madras.
Kisor (Gandhi), Ahmedabad.
Dhiruben G. Patel, Bombay.
Mrs. K. Khosla, Bangalore.
Popatlal B. Kotak, Bombay.
N. Sambasivan, Madras.
Smt. Namagirl Sambasivan, Madras.
Dr. Atma Ram, Agra.
Major I. J. Taneja.

WEST GERMANY:

Fritz Kreie, West Germany.

SWITZERLAND:

Peter Grelder, Zurich.

U.S.A.

Rex Uhl, Berkeley, California.

The Mountain Path - Life Subscribers - (In continuation of the list already published in our April issue)

INDIA:

V. T. Seshadri, Vellore.
Ch. Sathyanarayana, Madras.
M. L. Vasudevamurthy, Chikmagalur.
Madan S. Abichandani, Bombay.

UNITED KINGDOM:

Mrs. Thalia E. Gage, London.
A. E. Gladwell, Cornwall.
Miss Blanchard, Shrewsbury.
Peter Bright, Paignton.

SWITZERLAND:

Peter Greider, Zurich.